Deja Vu...All Over Again

Posted on Fri Oct 14th, 2011 @ 7:34am by Jackson Banning V & Lieutenant Natalia Bren M.D.

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Medbay, Deck 271

* * * Medbay, Deck 271 * * *

Jackson stood, compress held to his nose, and eyed Natalia. He'd successfully avoided reporting in to her for 6 years and now here she was. On SB900. This was the crowning touch to the week from hell. And hell is what you look like, his little voice reminded him.

"Natalia, I should be surprised. How are you?"

Natalia looked back at him with a half smile and a knowing look. She laid one hand along his face as she peeked behind the compress. "As if you care after all these years, Jackson", she said with the same soft and sweet voice that always complimented her bedside manner. She pulled back, padding on the biobed in the private little room she had already lead him to. "I see you haven't changed."

Jackson eased himself up to sit on the biobed, the move bringing another jolt of pain through his face. "Ah, good one Nat. You always did have a sense of humour. Can you fix my nose?"

"Hmmm, I dunno..maybe we should leave it, give you a little distinction..." she became quiet, her smile leaving, "Seriously, Jackson...", the corners of her mouth lowering as she looked at a few items on a medical tray table next to her, "Why the disappearing act?"

"Some assignments called me away, and as you say, I wasn't changin'. When I finally got the chance to just be...Jackson...I wanted to get away from it all. That meant goin' where I wanted. I couldn't stop in at every sickbay with that bit of news, could I?" He sighed softly. "Besides, you had Su, you didn't need me."

She glanced up at him, her lips now pressed together as she thought about his last statement. She pulled down his hand that held the compress, and then held his face, as she began running a device over the bridge of his nose, "In time, I could of easily needed you..."

Jackson started to speak, paused, rethought what he was about to say, and then gave up thinking. So far this week it hadn't done any good anyway. "Your CMO had some ideas I didn't much like, Nat. It woulda put you an' me in a difficult position. With me gone, you weren't stuck between me and followin' orders."

"Do you think I wasn't already looking out for the two of you?" she asked, the expression on her face showed how disappointed she was. "I wasn't stuck." And then surprised at herself for allowing herself to go back in that direction, she shook her head, pulling away. "I understand..." she turned away trading the medical device for another one. "I was never part of the equation, so relax", she began running the new tool along side his nose, a smile forcing it's way on her face, "I'm not here to make your life any more difficult than it... appears to be."

"You mean that isn't why you were sent here?" His face registered his surprise, both at her comment and at the fact that the pain had lessened. "Did he ever tell you what I did to his office when I left?"

She stopped treating his nose, not answering his last question as she thought about his first. Still standing close to him, she looked away as it hit her the position she was now placed in with regards to Jackson's life.

"It gets better," he said stifly. "Su's here too. Arrived last week." He let out a slow breath, realizing the burden he'd just laid on her and the trust he was placing in her as well.

"Su?" she whispered. I'm going to have to leave she thought, rubbing her forehead as she stepped away from him, I just arrived, and now I am going to have to transfer, going to have to come up with a reason.. "Jackson, I'm finished", she looked back at him, "Please...take care of yourself."

He caught her wrist in a firm grip, pulling her back across the divide between them, close enough his lips brushed her ear. "I'm always careful. And I have a lot of friends, Nat. Su was a good girl and reported in to Dr. Chong as ordered so she's in the clear. All you have to do is carry on like normal. It's a big base, lots of medical facilities that, tonight aside, I never visit. No one can blame you. And if 'they' try, I'll take care of you. I promise."

With his warm breath caressing her skin, she swallowed, trying her best to fight back the fear that threatened to expose him, "It's not me I'm worried about...", and she looked at him, reaching her free hand up to once again feel his face, "Neither Su nor I should be here, Jackson. Either one of us could lead them to you."

Jackson shrugged with good cheer. "I don't see either of you runnin' to your comm badges. An' if I'd known a good bar fight is all it took to get your hands on me, I'd have done it sooner." He smiled finally.

Her eyes roamed over his face, on down his neck, and to the skin exposed by his shirts open collar, she pried her wrist out of his grip, "You really haven't changed", she said, and she wasn't referring to his looks. "You've gone six years, what's another six? Or forever?", she whispered. "I'm putting in for a transfer. I think it's whats best for the both of us."

"No." Jackson shook his head. "Six years you poked and prodded me, watched every breath I took. I know it was fascinating work, Nat, and I have deprived you of my presence for six years. Surely you won't run out now that you have me all to yourself?" He smiled and slid off the biobed. "Might as well settle in for a while."

Nat lifted one brow, moving aside for him, and leaning back against the bio bed, her hands resting on it's edge. "You're awfully sure of yourself", and he concerned her. First pointing out the size of the Starbase, how she could not be blamed for 'not knowing' he was there, and then to take the risk, to offer himself up for examination... She shook her head. Why couldn't he see this wasn't going to work? Why didn't he want her to go? What was on his agenda? She was genuinely confused, and had her own inner conflict. She lifted her chin up as if she was resolved in her decision, yet her eyes betrayed her, "Goodbye, Jackson."

His slow, trademark smile spread across his face, highlighting the still boyish charm despite his age, as his eyes met hers. "Gotcha. The Nexus. Tonight. I'll have Su reserve you a table." Reaching out, he tugged at a lock of her hair. "Welcome to 900, Doc." Without another word, he turned to go.

Despite herself, his smile was way too contagious, her own smile growing as she watched him walk away, and she knew she was in trouble.

*********

Jackson Banning V
Owner & Further Complication
The Nexus Club

Lt. Natalia Bren
Chief Surgeon
Rediscovering A (complicated, hard to resist) Pet Project
SB900